Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

McBROOM, Amanda

(b 9 August, Burbank CA) Cabaret singer and songwriter; actress. Her father was actor David Bruce (1914-76), who played a great many second leads in films of the 1940s; her memories of him are offered in the touching countrified waltz 'Errol Flynn'. She was inspired by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Julie Andrews, Judy Collins and Jacques Brel, attended U of Texas and turned pro on graduation; she appeared in many guest spots on TV including Hart To Hart, M*A*S*H, Star Trek: The Next Generation etc. Like many of the best cabaret artists, she makes use of all her skills as a singing actress; as Clive Davis wrote in The Times of London, 'Who needs an all-dancing, all-singing West End spectacular when you can have Amanda McBroom instead?' She showcases her own songs, which deserve it; a medley may begin with Sammy Cahn's romantic plea 'Teach Me Tonight' and end up with a shareout of matrimonial goods, 'You Can Have The TV'. Her show is brash yet sophisticated; her style is intimate but she can also display an operetta-style vocal purity.

On her albums she is backed by a full complement of studio musicians except as noted: they began with Growing Up In Hollywood '80 and West Of Oz '82 on Sheffield Labs; she formed her own label and released Dreaming '88 and Midnight Matinee '92 on Gecko; then came Amanda McBroom Live From Rainbow And Stars '94 on DRG (backed by her trio and including 'The Rose', which she wrote for the Bette Midler film). Heartbeats '94 on Varèse Sarabande is the original cast album of the Pasadena Playhouse production of her musical show (co-writers incl. Tom Snow, Michele Brourman, Jerry Sternbach; the cast included her husband George Ball); it had a dozen other productions in the USA by 1997. On stage '97 in London she was accompanied by pianist Joel Silberman, while A Waiting Heart '97 on Gecko has a 21-piece orchestra. Like all the best cabaret singers, she appears at Pizza on the Park in London's Knightsbridge.